 |  |
The Liberty was a Venator-class Star Destroyer that served as a command ship by the Galactic Republic's Fifth Fleet, of the Republic Navy's Open Circle Fleet. The command ship and flagship of Jedi General Aayla Secura and her Republic task force during the Clone Wars by 21 BBY, the Liberty was deployed to the planet Quell in that year, where it and Secura's three other Venators were attacked by a Separatist Alliance squadron of five Munificent-class star frigates. Led by the T-series tactical droid TF-1726, the lead Venator was inflicted extensive damage by the Separatist squadron, while the other two Star Destroyers were destroyed, bringing Jedi General Anakin Skywalker to the Quell system aboard the Venator-class Star Destroyer Resolute from across the galaxy.
With Skywalker's arrival, the Jedi Knight and several clone troopers began boarding Secura's flagship to rescue her, after several B2-RP super battle droids entered through the breaches in the hull. Boarding the Liberty, Skywalker arranged for a retrofitted Consular-class cruiser to dock in the lower hangar, where the Jedi and the remaining clone troopers proceeded to escape to. While escaping, however, a series of explosions were induced in the Star Destroyer by heavy turbolaser fire from the Separatist frigates, seriously injuring Skywalker before he was brought aboard the Republic frigate. Off the doomed Liberty, Secura's flagship then began to careen towards Quell's surface in a fiery wreck.
Description[]
- "Our shields are gone."
- ―A clone navigation officer, to Aayla Secura
General Aayla Secura on the Liberty's bridge
A Venator-class Star Destroyer of the Galactic Republic Navy,[1] the Liberty[9] possessed a pair of white-lighted command towers.[1] Painted red to identify the warship's role as a flagship,[10] the command towers,[1] one of which was utilized as the primary helm and command center and the other for starfighter flight control,[11] were equipped with hyperwave comm scanners[5] at the top of each. Aboard one of the towers were two pitted sections with several control consoles operated by the starship's crew, as well as a panoramic, 180-degree view of the surrounding area from numerous viewports at the front, with additional consoles directly underneath. Furthermore, the Liberty also contained several hallways and corridors that were illuminated by lights built into its grey-painted walls, alongside several blast doors that could automatically close in case of interior explosions and fires.[1]
On its exterior, the Liberty was dotted with various weapon systems,[1] such as a series of four port and four starboard-mounted DBY-827 heavy turbolaser turret, supplemented by two medium dual turbolaser cannons—one port and one starboard-mounted[4]—and several other laser cannons along its outer hull. Along with its armament, the Star Destroyer was equipped with an extensive propulsion system[1] of eight ion drive units[3] mounted at its stern, with a group of four located behind its port and starboard wings. On its ventral hull, the warship came with a docking bay and boarding tube that was large enough to carry and dock with a single retrofitted Consular-class cruiser, and possessed blast doors to a starboard hangar bay. The Liberty also came with a deflector shield generator, powerful enough to withstand the combined firepower of four to five Munificent-class star frigates for a limited amount of time. When the deflector shield was disabled, however, the Venator's hull was armored enough to impact with a Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry gunship. Along its aftward port and starboard hulls, the Star Destroyer was also painted with five red stripes on either side to indicate its allegiance to the Republic Fifth Fleet, and was emblazoned with the symbol of the Open Circle Fleet.[1]
History[]
During the Battle of Quell[1] the Star Destroyer Liberty was attacked by several Munificent-class star frigates and heavily damaged. The fleet called for help from Anakin Skywalker and Admiral Wullf Yularen, who arrived in the Resolute shortly after. Three LAAT/i gunships were dispatched from the Resolute to extract all personnel from the Star Destroyer. However, the Separatist tactical droid ordered to destroy the Galactic Republic flagship. By closing the blast doors around him, Skywalker sacrificed himself to save his companions from the explosions. Jedi General Aayla Secura and Skywalker's Padawan Ahsoka Tano were able to drag him onboard a Consular-class cruiser before the Republic starship was destroyed.[1]
Behind the scenes[]
The Liberty first appeared in "Jedi Crash," the thirteenth episode of the first season of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series,[1] which aired on January 16, 2009.[6] It was later first identified in the 2021 reference book Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Character Encyclopedia - Join the Battle!, authored by Jason Fry.[9]
Appearances[]
Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Jedi Crash" (First appearance)- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Defenders of Peace" (In flashback(s))
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Deserter" (In flashback(s))
Sources[]
- The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Jedi Crash on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- "Jedi Crash" Episode Guide | The Clone Wars on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 73 (Highlights of the Saga: The Maridun Incident)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Character Encyclopedia - Join the Battle! (First identified as Liberty)
- Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy
- Aayla Secura in the Databank (backup link) (Picture only)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24
Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Jedi Crash"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Star Wars Complete Vehicles, New Edition — Based on corresponding data for Venator-class Star Destroyers.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Jedi Crash" depicts the Liberty as a Venator-class Star Destroyer with eight of what Star Wars: Complete Vehicles identifies as ion drive thrusters.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Jedi Crash" depicts the Liberty as a Venator-class Star Destroyer with eight—four port, four starboard—and two—one port, one starboard— of what Star Wars Complete Vehicles, New Edition identifies as DBY-827 heavy turbolaser turrets and medium dual turbolaser cannons.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Jedi Crash" depicts the Liberty as a Venator-class Star Destroyer with two of what Star Wars Complete Vehicles, New Edition identifies as hyperwave comm scanners.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Jedi Crash on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- ↑ Star Wars Helmet Collection 30 (Highlights of the Saga: The Betrayal of Captain Argyus) places the events of "Cloak of Darkness" in 21 BBY. Star Wars: Galactic Atlas similarly dates "Blue Shadow Virus" to 21 BBY. As the events of "Jedi Crash," including the destruction of Aayla Secura's Venator-class Star Destroyer over Quell, takes place between these two episodes according to Star Wars: The Clone Wars Chronological Episode Order on StarWars.com (backup link), the episode must also take place in 21 BBY.
- ↑ Star Wars: Complete Vehicles establishes that Venator-class Star Destroyers with five red stripes on their wings and with the emblem of the Open Circle Fleet were part of the Fifth Fleet. The Liberty, depicted as a Venator-class Star Destroyer in the episode "Jedi Crash," had five stripes on both wings and the emblem, denoting its affiliation to the Fifth Fleet and therefore the Open Circle Fleet.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Character Encyclopedia - Join the Battle!
- ↑ "Destroy Malevolence" Episode Guide | The Clone Wars on StarWars.com (backup link) establishes that Venator-class Star Destroyers that were utilized as flagships were painted with red command bridges.
- ↑ "Jedi Crash" depicts the Liberty as a Venator-class Star Destroyer, equipped with what Star Wars Complete Vehicles, New Edition identifies as a starfighter flight control bridge and the primary helm and command bridge.